CPCT: Skin Care-> Postmortem Care

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who is at risk for pressure ulcers. Which of the following actions should the technician take to prevent pressure ulcers?

• Use a draw sheet when moving the patient up in bed.

• Keep the head of the patient’s bed elevated at a 45° angle.

• Reposition the patient once every 3 hr.

• Massage the skin over bony prominences.

A patient care technician is observing a pressure ulcer on a patient’s heel. The technician notes that the skin layers are worn away and the subcutaneous fat is visible. The pressure ulcer is in which of the following stages?

• Stage 1

• Stage 2

• Stage 3

• Stage 4

A patient care technician is applying sequential compression device (SCD) sleeves for a patient who is postoperative following knee surgery. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

• Assist the patient into prone position.

• Place the opening of the SCD sleeve at the back of the patient’s knee.

• Ensure that one finger can fit under each SCD sleeve.

• Remove the sleeves once every 24 hr to check the patient’s circulation.

A patient care technician is applying antiembolism stockings for a patient who is postoperative. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

• Place the patient in a sitting position.

• Slide the stocking up over the foot and heel.

• Bunch the stocking together from the top down to the heel portion before application.

• Roll any excess stocking down to fit snugly above the calf after application.

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who is 1 day postoperative following abdominal surgery. When assisting the patient to perform coughing and deep breathing exercises, which of the following actions should the technician take?

• Instruct the patient to lay in supine position.

• Place a pillow over the patient’s incision site.

• Ask the patient to inhale through the mouth and exhale through the nose.

• Explain to the patient that the diaphragm will move upward during inhalation.

A patient care technician is providing instructions about the use of an incentive spirometer for a patient who is postoperative. Which of the following statements should the technician make?

• Exhale into the spirometer as hard as you can.

• Try to raise the indicator inside the spirometer by inhaling.

• Exhale in short puffs into the spirometer.

• Inhale through the spirometer, and then try to hold your breath for about 12 seconds.

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who had a blood specimen collected and is actively bleeding from the venipuncture site. Which of the following actions should the technician take?

• Wipe the venipuncture site with an alcohol pad.

• Apply an adhesive bandage to the venipuncture site.

• Use a gauze pad to apply pressure to the venipuncture site.

• Place the affected arm below the level of the patient’s heart.

A patient care technician enters a patient’s room and finds the patient motionless on the floor. Which of the following findings is an indication that the patient requires CPR?

• The patient begins coughing intermittently.

• The patient’s heart monitor shows a rate of 58/min.

• The patient’s respiratory monitor shows a rate of 9/min.

• The patient is unresponsive when shaken and asked, “Are you all right?”

A patient care technician is measuring an adult patient’s vital signs. Which of the following findings should the technician report to the nurse?

• Oral temperature 37.4° C (99.3° F)

• Heart rate 124/min

• Respiratory rate 18/min

• Blood pressure 118/78 mm Hg

A patient care technician is caring for a patient who has heart failure. Which of the following manifestations should the technician expect?

• Edema in the legs

• Left-sided weakness

• Sudden onset of severe headaches

• Sputum that is green